Had to cancel hairdressers appt because I tested positive... they are trying to charge me

[MyWeddingFund]

Had a hairdressers appointment for today. Had symptoms yesterday and test which came back positive. I phoned the hairdressers to let them know I had tested positive and would not be attending and would call to rearrange when feeling better as didn't know when that would be I didn't want to rearrange right now. They told me because it is short notice...I have to pay half the price of the service. Fair enough if I had to just cancelled but there is no way I can go

I have never heard of a hairdresser charging for a cancelled appointment.
So many people saying they would pay in the circumstances.
Would you really? I don’t think you would.

@Coldwinds Well legally she can’t..

And legally the hairdresser can't charge an ILLEGAL fee, either.....

@PumpkinPie2016

YANBU -my hairdresser's salon wouldn't do this. In fact, she has never charged for clients who can't attend and need to reschedule. You can't go with coronavirus!!

When my Nan (who used the same salon) was poorly (cancer) but still able to have her hair done, she sometimes had to rearrange depending on how she felt on the day. Never, ever a problem and she was never charged.

I once totally forgot an appointment apologised profusely and rearranged -again no charge.

Result is, my salon has a large number of customers who have been going there for years and years. When she reopened after lockdown, we all booked appointments- she's never stopped!

Salons that have the attitude you describe will find their clients start going elsewhere.

my hairdresser's salon wouldn't do this. In fact, she has never charged for clients who can't attend and need to reschedule.

Neither mine. I don't think it has ever even occurred to them to ever charge a cancellation fee, and anyway, that's illegal. It's just a hair cut it's not like you've book an airline ticket. It's illegal for hairdressers to charge a cancellation fee like that. If over the years the things I've had to cancel (hairdressers, dinner etc) due to a migraine were added up, the owners of the businesses would all be rich.

NO ONE pays a cancellation fee to a HAIRDRESSER! It's not the done thing, and it screams illegal setup/dodgy business.

The thing is with this is that you risk going to a completely new hairdresser that doesn’t know how you like your hair.

It's hair for fsake. I am sure a competent hairdresser will manage. And hair grows, so.... It's the principle of the thing, anyone charging illegal fees should not be rewarded. They should have the Inspectors called on them.

Also, she didn't 'pay' for a slot. She rang up for an appointment. That's all. No money changed hands. No services were rendered. She received nothing, she paid for nothing. She owes them nothing. Not a thing.

If a plain old small business like a hairdresser cannot cope with cancellations, they are inept and incompetent and have no business being in business.

*Sadly this is what the beauty trade have to put up with..

Honestly I don’t think people realise this is an actual income that people pay tax on and many other financial contributions confused

Your paying to see a skilled and educated professional confused*
@Coldwinds Oh PLEASE! smh We are talking about a hairdresser, for goodness sake! Or someone who paints nails. Not a skilled and educated professional. It's a business that requires no education, only training. Regardless of that, if you go in this business you realise that people will cancel. That is what you accept when you go into business as a hairdresser. It's taken as read. It's the job. If you can't handle it, you shouldn't have become one. Instead of breaking Fair Trading and charging illegal fees.

If you can't handle it, DON'T become a hairdresser! It really is that straight forward.

@LunaLula83

Don't pay it. That's stupid of them. If they took your card details beforehand then that's very different.

If they charged my card, I would get onto the bank to get the charge reversed. And I'd make a complaint to Fair Trading, and/or to the Ombudsman. As well as negative reviews where ever I could online. Hairdressers cannot just charge fees like that, it's illegal. I do suggest the OP leaves a negative review. Shonky operators like this joke of a hairdresser need to be shut down.

@Kalula I can assure you, working in a similar industry, that I require education AND training and with cpd that is ongoing. A year of one course was particularly taxing in regards to anatomy and physiology! That’s benefits me but more importantly my lovely clients.
I know from having worked in a very very good salon that good hairdressers are constantly learning and developing their skills too.

It’s a shame you’ve made assumptions towards a whole group of people and their businesses.

As I put earlier, I don’t charge any fees. I have worked hard to have a wonderful client base who respects my time and I respect theirs. On the very odd occasion someone cancels (then rearranges) I know it’s because they’re genuinely ill or have another reason strong enough to need to cancel.
My hairdressers don’t charge a deposit scheme and it would me put off if they tried to implement it. We all get ill so there needs to be give and take.

As a business owner the minute I realised a client was taking advantage I took them off my books. In the OPs case, if this is a long term client/business relationship they should know if you never normally do this to not rock the boat asking for money (in my opinion!)

Well tbh I couldn't justify paying the cost of half or a full hair appointment twice (I have found someone I like and she's not cheap) so would end up missing out on a haircut.

So no, I don't think that with current Covid guidance, your hairdresser should be charging cancellations. It sounds as though you informed them as soon as you could. I don't see how local salon policy could be enforced (unless you have paid a deposit) so would not be paying.

It is unfortunate that salons will take a hit in this way but it's a non-essential service that people with symptoms will be rightly avoiding. The alternative is that people with covid will turn up as they can't afford to just pay twice.

To keep things cordial if they're a good hairdresser, could you rebook for say, 3 weeks, and see how you feel?

This is prime example why booking deposits are needed by hair salons, restaurants etc. If you don’t show, deposit is forfeited. If you cancel within cancellation time, refund of deposit.

My hair salon asks for 25% deposit upon booking. They have a 24 hour cancellation policy. It’s on their website and you can make you appointment on line - which is not completed without your deposit. Same for my dog grooming place.

I’m venturing out for a special meal in London Wednesday (quite nervous about it), I had to pay in full when making the reservation. They too have a 24 hour cancellation policy

As previous posters have pointed out, should have cancelled when symptoms started even ringing to say that and a test was booked would have been enough to reasonably not be charged. But no notice or notice on the day is not on. Pay up or choose to go else where.

@BrightSunshineDay

I wonder if people would be happy for their vets to start charging for cancelled appointments . Cat gone walk abouts, tough that'll be £40 please. Dog gotten better overnight, tough pay up. Very much doubt it yet our industry has a high number of cancelled appointments due to the above among other reasons yet I don't know a single vet who charges for missed appointments. No way I'd be paying and I'd be finding a new hair stylist. Mumsnet is weird about hairdressers and childminders, they're the only professions where it's deemed to be acceptable to pay for services not received. I don't know of any other self employed professions where people expect to be paid for not providing a service . Oh and all the small salon owners I know were more than compensated for the time they had to remain closed.

Exactly! I remember desperately searching for my cat before I had to leave for their vet appointment.

Hairdressers, like vets aren't losing out because the person normally reschedules anyway. So they still get that money, just a week or so (or day) later. Hairdressers and vets always have walk-ins they can slot in, they're never without demand for their services. It's not like they lose money, they almost always are able to slot someone in at short notice.

Tell them you if they will charge you you are happy to go and get the cut. If they wouldn’t serve you if you went in how can they charge you?

And how would this 'practice' of charging for a service not rendered - a 'cancellation fee' work with elderly pensioners (not meant in an ageist way) who don't have a credit card or ATM card and still use cash only? Would they no longer be able to ring up for an appointment, would they have to physically go into the store and pay a deposit, then return for their cut? Or would they be double-billed at the next appointment? The logistics sounds very complicated.

@AdoreTheBeach And if the person pays cash, how do they pay over the phone? Do they have to go to the premise - twice? Once to pay, second to get the service they pre-paid for? I live in a small country town, and most people here still use cash for services. Despite EFTPOS/Credit Card etc being available in every store/service I can think of. Sometimes I pay cash, other times card. It just depends on how much I have on me at the time. Elderly people here almost exclusively still pay with cash. Can't really pay a cash deposit over the phone, so how enforcement would work, I don't know. All I know is that if my hairdresser/vet/doctor etc started charging a deposit or cancellation fee, they'd never see me again. It's the principle of the thing.

As previous posters have pointed out, should have cancelled when symptoms started even ringing to say that and a test was booked would have been enough to reasonably not be charged.

If you had read the OP's posts, you'd see she DID ring when symptoms first began, AND after she got the results. Also, the hairdresser them self cancelled on the OP before, due to Covid symptoms.

Kalula, you need to relax, you should way over invested!

But I have a lot of elderly clients and I don't have one that doesn't either pay by online banking or debit/credit card, so I suspect that scenario is very rare.

@ThisIsntMeHonestGuv

Kalula, you need to relax, you should way over invested!

But I have a lot of elderly clients and I don't have one that doesn't either pay by online banking or debit/credit card, so I suspect that scenario is very rare.

Really? More than Coldwinds? Oh, but they agree with you, so that's ok.... I am simply replying to posts as anyone else does.

Also, elderly people paying by online banking is extremely rare, even rarer than them paying but credit card. Regardless, you sound over-defensive because you are one of the self employed ones that charge fees.

@ThisIsntMeHonestGuv

And self employed people are the only people that are expected to make themselves available to work, but be okay with not getting paid because the person that's paying them didn't bother to show up.

If you choose to be self employed, that's the risk you take. Quite simple really. No one should be expected to prop you up just because you chose to be self employed.

@BlusteryShowers

I think if you had symptoms then you should have cancelled immediately. If you've taken a test and had it returned, it's clear to them that you've known about this for some days and could have rearranged. Lots of hairdressers have that kind of policy but I think it depends on how well they can afford to have empty appointments as to whether they enforce it.

Maybe if you had only started with symptoms today then they would have been more understanding.

RTFT The OP did call when she first had symptoms, and after the test came back.

@ThisIsntMeHonestGuv

And I wasn't.

Calm down.

Cash is not mostly being used at this time and clearly can’t be used for on line appointments. If you then ring the shop for an appointment, you’d most likely be sled for a card payment or come down to pay deposit.

Again, I’ll use my dog groomer as an example as they’ve been using deposit for appointment for years. You could give cash for your appointment deposit. You pay your cash at the till when making the next appointment. People trying to pay cash at this time (pandemic) are being obtuse.

And hair dresser cancelling because they had symptoms, meant the hair salon were out of their wages because they couldn’t work. So for your “argument” - what are you trying to say? That it is not ok for the hairdresser to cancel because they had carona symptoms? That was the responsible thing to do AND they lost out their earnings for the day.

Are you trying to say therefore it’s ok for any customer to simply cancel late and the hair dresser lose more money because the hair dresser previously cancelled on the customer? That two “wrongs” make a right? Is that your point?

Read the initial op. Op didn’t initially write she gave 24 hours notice. Not until it was pointed out to her that, usually being tested because you suspect you have it due to developing symptoms, there’s a delay between symptoms and test result. I think she’s added that afterwards.

So again, what’s your point? @Kalula if not just to be obtuse

I think there is a very nasty view being peddled on this thread; the view that it is perfectly OK to cancel something last minute and not care about the loss of earnings that means for the hairdresser (or whoever it is).

People are triumphantly cheering about the fact that 'you can't be forced to pay them' and that if you 'choose to be self employed that's the risk you take'. No doubt those people really approve of zero hours contracts and companies like Uber too.

Hairdressers suffered enormously during the original lockdown and were forcibly closed for months. Now is seems some of you are competing to see how much more you can screw them over.

@Tessabelle1

There's no way you had symptoms, a test and results the same day! You should have cancelled when you had symptoms, they may have been more flexible that way. As it stands, you made an appointment and in doing so agreed to the cancellation policy so pay up or don't go back there again.

@Tessabelle1 RTFT Many people on this thread have said they've had the tests and results back in under 24 hours. Things have changed, it doesn't take many days to get the results back. She rang them when she first got symptoms, and she also rang once she had the test results. Salon could have cancelled her appointment when she first rang with symptoms, they clearly chose not to. Also, the hairdresser themself cancelled on her before due to Covid. So does that mean the OP can bill the salon for cancelling on her then? After all, it should work both ways.

Also the cancellation policy was not notified, no signs stated the policy, and OP received no receipt or card or notice of the policy. So, no, she did not agree to the (heretofore previously non-existent) cancellation policy.

@Kalula

People who say you should pay are representative of a world gone mad. It's a hairdresser appointment. It's not a holiday cruise you booked! I have never, NEVER in my entire life heard of such a thing for a hairdresser charging a cancellation fee, especially if it is just an ordinary cut and not a huge formal doo/wedding.

Contrary to what a previous poster said, you did NOT enter into a contract with them, you signed nothing. You simply rang up to get a hair appointment, and then had to cancel. It's as simple as that. What next, pay a school fine if you couldn't make it to parent/teacher interview? Have to cancel a Doctor's appointment? Pay a fine! The amount of people suggesting you owe the hairdresser shit is deeply concerning. You owe them NOTHING. People often have to cancel or postpone. That's it. It happens. It's part of the job of being a hairdresser - cancelations. If the hairdresser can't deal with that basic fundamental concept that LIFE happens, then they shouldn't be in business.

DO NOT pay her a red cent! She has a CHEEK, considering she cancelled on you the first time, and I bet you didn't bill her half of that for your time. Besides, logically, HOW can she actually enforce it? She can't force you to enter her premises or pay her. You signed no contract. There were no signs or warnings on the premises, I presume? She doesn't have a single leg to stand on. Not one. And she is a CFer. Don't pay, you owe her shit! (meaning nothing). You owe yourself the courtesy of finding a better hairdresser, not an extortionist.

Gosh, what a masterclass in ungrammatical hyperbole. It's a little inappropriate to be ranting and raving like this.

I live in North London and every hair salon in my area, as well as all the C London ones I have ever been to have a clear cancellation policy document on the wall of the salon where it is clear to see.

@JBEM4

Not going to lie, I'm reading some of the responses on here and it's apparent that people are just shitty, self entitled and clearly not having to worry about their finances as they have zero empathy for an industry that was shut down for 4 months, minimal financial support while having to cover salon costs, many having to manage with reduced numbers of clients while, again, covering 100% salon costs and rely on each and every appointment to earn a wage. When an appointment is made that slot is reserved for you, last minute cancellations make it practically impossible to fill that slot which means that stylist loses income.

Absolutely agree that OP couldn't attend the appointment but having developed symptoms that made her believe a test was required she should have cancelled her appointment then and not wait until the result came in.

I will wait for the condescending responses from all members of the "I don't owe anyone anything including common decency" club but before you type put yourself in the same situation as many stylists/salon owners and imagine how should destroying it must be.

I can also guarantee the same people finding it obscene that OP should pay anything at all have had plenty to say about losing up to 33% of their wage due to covid - imagine being told that, through no fault of your own, you're not being paid at all.

Oh to be so privileged that you have no understanding of the worry of losing a wage.

I cannot believe what I just read. You're doing ok if you are able to run your own business. What about pensioners, the unemployed, those on benefits who can't afford to pay half for a haircut they may have been saving up for?

What about them? You're ok, you've got a job. Many people that use these services DON'T have a job! Ever think of these people? No, they're invisible to you, they're just a source of money for you.

The selfishness and deep sense of entitlement from business owners on here is unbelievable. You cannot expect to get paid for a service you didn't render. How much of a CFer do you have to even be, to think you are entitled to that? Hairdressers are often unable to fit people in, even with cancellations, they never go short. And sometimes they are working on two people's hair at the same time. The idea they are missing out by not fleecing a pensioner or a single mum on benefits, is preposterous. I cannot believe the bold-faced selfish, grabby entitlement from these people, and these are the people who never should have gone into business and will eventually fold, and deservedly so, with that attitude.

"the idea they are missing out by not fleecing a pensioner or a single mum on benefits is preposterous....bold-faced selfish, grabby entitlement..people who should never have gone into business and will eventually fold, and deservedly so "

Gosh Kalula your comments really are deeply spiteful as well as thickly loaded with stereotypes.

Hairdressers are often unable to fit people in, even with cancellations, they never go short. And sometimes they are working on two people's hair at the same time. The idea they are missing out by not fleecing a pensioner or a single mum on benefits, is preposterous.

They can’t at the moment ‘work on two people at once’. They’ve had to massively restructure their business practices to stay open. They have to limit the amount of people in the salon (most will have less shifts/hours because of limited space), but extra PPE and cleaning equipment, clean more between clients, allocate more time etc. Most are hanging on by a thread and working long, long hours.

Just because you’ve never seen a cancellation policy doesn’t mean a) they don’t exist and b) they’re unfair.

In this instance the hairdresser seems cheeky, but in general most hairdressers would be wise to take a deposit or have a cancellation charge. Loads of service industries do.

You’re a bit angry about pensioners bring fleeced and what-not. Not all business owners are crooks and robbers. Calm down.